Throwback Thursday!
This week we're throwing it back to 2011's Prom. Can you believe it's been 14 years? Anyone remember these pirates? Feel free to chime in with your memories!

6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Old photo of students dancing in school atrium
Old photo of 2011 prom court
Music to my ears! This morning Ms. Talley's music room was filled with the sound of eager young musicians strumming their ukuleles and playing along to an original tune about Berea. No doubt it'll be a #1 hit. As they learn the basics of reading music, and master finger placement across the fretboard, our students are picking up special skills that will follow them for the rest of their Berea careers and beyond. Let's give it up for our young rock stars!
6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Elementary students play ukuleles in music class
Elementary student plays ukulele in music class
Teacher demonstrates ukulele technique
Students play ukulele in music class
Music teacher demonstrates ukulele technique to elementary students
Music teacher shows students ukulele technique
Music Teacher instructs students from front of music room
Our first Senior Spotlight of the year shines on Nathan Prophitt!

Nathan has been at Berea for seven years and after graduation he plans to play college baseball and/or go into law enforcement. His favorite teachers include Mrs. Natasha and Mr. Caudill, and many of his favorite memories are set on the baseball field. We can't wait to see what Nathan goes on to achieve!

More about the class of '26 coming soon, stay tuned!
6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Graphic highlighting a senior spotlight.

We'd like to wish a happy (day-late) birthday to our wonderful FRYSC Director, Natasha Johnson! We appreciate all the amazing work you do for our community!

6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Graphic celebrating a staff member's birthday.

Exciting night last night at the season opener for our HS Volleyball team. Here's to a great season for our Lady Pirates!

6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Photos of volleyball game.
Photos of volleyball game.
Photos of volleyball game.
It’s not every day that you're joined in class by a flock of chickens!
Last Wednesday, students shuffled into Mr. Woodward's high school science classroom on their first day of school, only to discover a few of their classmates had wings and feathers. Those who’ve taken Mr. Woodward’s class before know this to be an annual staple of his classroom.
As Woodward puts it:
“The first day of school needs to serve a lot of purposes. The students deserve to have some fun as they transition back, but they also need to realize that this will be a learning space. We want parents to know their children are excited to be in school. Finally, I need to know what they can do as burgeoning scientists. They are tasked with designing an experiment to test what type of food chickens prefer. I get insight into whether they understand experiments, know the terminology, and can spot possible mistakes in experimental design. It’s a complete bonus that they end up going home and discussing science with their families.”
Sitting in on the class period, I watched students engage with their classroom in a special way, not through traditional assignments and quizzes, but by freely designing experiments and interacting with their classmates (feathered and not). Woodward pushes the limits of the science classroom and places students in extraordinary situations that excite their minds and challenge their expectations of school.
“The irreverence of chickens pooping in the room, students having various levels of comfort or discomfort around animals, and birds roaming around the room are all bonuses in my mind.”
This is why we love Berea!
6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Science teacher instructs students, while a chicken looms ominously  in foreground
Students extend their hands to touch chicken on desk.
Students hold chicken in classroom
Chicken on students' desk.
Teacher sits at front of classroom with chicken roaming free on his desk.
Chickens eat chicken feed off students' desk.
Chicken eats chicken feed off students' desk.
Chicken roams on desks in science classroom.
Student holds chicken.
Chicken roams on desks in science classroom.
Serving up something delicious for August! Here are our breakfast & lunch menus!
6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
School lunch calendar for the month of August.
School breakfast calendar for the month of August
School breakfast grab & go calendar for the month of August
Athletic schedule for this week! Good luck to ALL of our teams and coaches this week. Very busy week, come out and support our PIRATES!!

-Boys Golf @ All A Regional on Wednesday
-SEASON opener for HS Volleyball on Monday
-HS District Soccer double header showdown @ Madison Central on Thursday
-MS Soccer and Football also kick off their seasons this week
6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Graphic displaying upcoming dates for Berea Athletics in the upcoming week
Graphic displaying dates for Berea Athletics in the upcoming week

Let's give it up for all our high school teachers! We've had such a lovely first week back thanks to their hard work and dedication to our students. And congratulations to all you students for making it to Friday already, such an exciting start to the year!

6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Teachers look over a stack of papers in school gym.
Principal holds microphone to speak to students in front of line of teachers and staff.
Students applaud for their teachers, seated on gym bleachers.
Teachers stand together in school gym.
Teachers talk to each other in school gym.
One teacher shows something to another teacher on phone.
Students talk to each other on gym bleachers.
Teachers and staff stand in a line in front of students in school gym
Our elementary students arrived on their first day ready to learn and excited to get this show on the road. Thanks to all our bus drivers, teachers, and staff for making it a smooth and successful first two days for BCES!
6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Bleachers filled with elementary school students in school gymnasium.
Elementary school students getting off their bus and heading into school.
Elementary students sit attentively on gym floor.
Elementary teacher kneels down next to a student on gym floor.
Elementary principal speaks to students in school gym.
Student hugs School Resource Officer Bradley on his way into school.
So many great back-to-school photos of our excited Pirates on their first day. Thanks to all the proud parents and guardians who sent these in! Congratulations to all our wonderful students for such a smooth start to the school year, so happy to have you all back in the building!!
6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Collage of photos of students on their first day back to school.
Collage of photos of students on their first day back to school.
Collage of photos of students on their first day back to school.
Collage of photos of students on their first day back to school.
Collage of photos of students on their first day back to school.
Collage of photos of students on their first day back to school.
Collage of photos of students on their first day back to school.
What a great way to start the year off! Early this morning our new senior class met on the football field to watch the sunrise together before their first day of school. We wish the absolute best to our seniors in the coming year!
6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Superintendent poses with seniors on football field around a handmade frame that says "Senior Sunrise"
Seniors sit and watch the sunrise behind their school, from the football field.
Seniors pose for a photo in front of their school
Seniors hanging out on the football field, watching the sun set behind their school.
Seniors pose for a photo in front of their school
Seniors laying in grass on football field, eating donuts.
Seniors pose for a photo in front of their high school
Seniors taking photos of each other on football field.

Extending a warm welcome to all students and staff returning to the building this morning to kick off the 2025-2026 school year! So happy to see our beloved building come alive again. And to all our proud parents, as you're taking those first-day-of-school photos of your kiddos, remember to email them to luke.seals@berea.kyschools.us so we can put together a showcase of our excited students as they set out on their first day of school!

We wish you all a great year ahead!

6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Graphic welcoming students back to school. Includes a photo of superintendent, school principal, and other staff and students posing with a pirate mascot.
Nothing like a fresh batch of cookies to celebrate the start of a new school year! Dr. Neaves is keeping spirits high with his delicious baking and courteous room-to-room delivery service.
6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Superintendent delivers a cart of cookies to teachers in their rooms.
Superintendent baking cookies for school staff.
Collage of photos of teachers being given cookies by superintendent.
Superintendent delivering a cart of cookies to a teacher in her room.
Superintendent delivering a cart of cookies to school staff in a classroom.
Superintendent offering a tray of cookies to an intern in the schools's tech office.
Two trays of Cookies sat on a stovetop.
Collage of photos of superintendent delivering cookies to school staff in  various classrooms and hallways.
Superintendent delivers a cart of cookies to a teacher in her classroom.
Superintendent personally delivers a cart of cookies to a teacher in his classroom.

🎉 Happy Birthday, Dr. Neaves! 🎉

We’re excited to celebrate our Superintendent today and thank him for the incredible leadership he’s shown these last two months. Your dedication to our schools and community has already made a lasting impact. We’re proud to have you at the helm of our Pirate ship as we sail into the new school year.

Join us in wishing Dr. Neaves a fantastic birthday!

6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
School Superintendent is presented with a birthday present from school staff.

A huge thanks to our community partners, Sara White from Milton Hershey Company, Chase Riddle, Belinda Riddle, Larinda Agee, Steve Riddle from Corley & Foley Law Offices, Brian and Keith from Green Dot, our Berea Retired Teachers, and all our other amazing volunteers for providing meals for our Berea staff as they prepare for the first day of school. We are so grateful for your support and dedication to our community!

6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Teacher being served lunch by community partners in school cafeteria.
Principal being served lunch by community partners in school cafeteria.
Band director being served lunch in cafeteria by community partners.
White board displaying the names of those community partners  who helped to serve lunch for our school  staff  at recent events.
Athletics Schedule for this week! Good luck to all of our teams and coaches this week as we start another great year. Go PIRATES!!

Good luck to our Girls Golf Team as they compete in the All "A" Regional on Tuesday in Lexington.
6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Graphic with information about this week's sports schedules.
What an amazing turnout at our Back to School Bash on Friday night! It was so exciting to welcome students back into the building after a long summer. Huge thanks to all our Pirate families who came out to meet the teachers and staff, and thanks to everyone working the event for making it possible, it was an amazing way to kick off the new school year. We can’t wait to see everyone again on Wednesday!
6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Collage of photos form Back to School event, students and teachers posing for photos.
Collage of photos from a  Back to School event centered around a photo of a pirate mascot.
This month's Board of Education Meeting will take place in the MS/HS Theater on August 18, 2025, at 7 PM.
6 months ago, Website Moderator
August's Board Meeting Announcement
Just a reminder about tomorrow's Back to School Night!
Join us tomorrow, August 8th from 5-8 PM at Berea Community Schools! It’ll be a fun-filled evening with:
✅ Free ice cream
✅ School supply giveaways
✅ Inflatables & food trucks
✅ A chance to meet your teachers and connect with community partners
This will also be another opportunity to meet our new superintendent, Dr. Neaves, and get help with online registration and Apptegy to ensure you’re ready for the new school year.
Students in all grades are welcomed and encouraged to be there. We can't wait to see you then!
6 months ago, Public Relations Specialist
Graphic displaying information about upcoming school event taking place August 8th.